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Probing metastable space-charge potentials in a wide bandgap semiconductor

MetadataDetails
Publication Date2020-12-19
JournalarXiv (Cornell University)
AuthorsArtur Lozovoi, Harishankar Jayakumar, Damon Daw, Ayesha Lakra, Carlos A. Meriles

While the study of space charge potentials has a long history, present models are largely based on the notion of steady state equilibrium, ill-suited to describe wide bandgap semiconductors with moderate to low concentrations of defects. Here we build on color centers in diamond both to locally inject carriers into the crystal and probe their evolution as they propagate in the presence of external and internal potentials. We witness the formation of metastable charge patterns whose shape - and concomitant field - can be engineered through the timing of carrier injection and applied voltages. With the help of previously crafted charge patterns, we unveil a rich interplay between local and extended sources of space charge field, which we then exploit to show space-charge-induced carrier guiding.